Tough Times Are Ahead

Chapter 2

(II)

Knock... Knock...

I heard someone knocking at my door. I was too sleepy, then and didn't remember the time when I took a nap, and now the lights are too off, I wonder who could turn the lights off. "Hey, Jess are you up? Open the door, please!"

Oh, shit! How come I forget Mex? We share one room, I mean his bedroom is quite big enough to stay in with three-four people but as our family is small, mom decided to give a partition in the middle of the room so that we won't fight and my brother took the inside part while I ended up with the front part of the room. The room has only one door and to get into his room I need to open it, which kinda pisses me off, sometimes.

"Jess, are you there? What are you doing? Let me come inside!" He pleaded while knocking on the door from outside.

"Brother?" I was still unable to find the lights.

"Hey Jess, let me in please!"

"Ouch," Ah, what is that now!

"Jess, are you okay?" He asked

"My ankle... it hurts!" I whispered. "Where the damn switchboard had gone? Why on earth I can't find them!?" My voice rose.

"The lights are gone, as usual. I called the electricity board but they said there will be a snowstorm and-" he went on when I shouted, "-and they cut it, right? What the-"

"Mind your language!" He told me without letting me complete the sentence.

"I want to say, hell!"

"Well, I can't trust you with your words!"

"Wait really? I AM YOUR LI'L SISTER!" I shouted at the last part.

"Well, well okay! I got it, now let me come inside!" He asked.

"Never!"

"Never?" He repeated. "But why?"

"Apologize first!" I demanded.

"Well? Ok but after that, you need to open the door!" He demanded that I come back.

"Okay."

"I'm sorry! Can you please let me enter the room?" He asked without wasting a second but not like before, his voice is now deep and calm. I appreciate him with his voice changing quality or effect or whatever, you say. I stood silent for a while and quickly opened the door without bumping this time on anything and a warm bear hug embraced me. I hugged him back.

After some time we pulled back from the hug and he asked, "Are you okay?"

"Um, yeah!" I whispered. Well, my ankle still hurts but I'm not going to say that.

"You sure? I heard you screaming back then?"

"I am, what about you?" I asked when I felt he's silently weeping. Well, I cannot see him as there were no lights but I can only feel his touch on my hands and shoulders. He hugged me again and this time a little shocked me, as he never hugged me that tightly, as he feels embarrassed and shy. "Brother, you okay?" I asked, patting his back slowly.

"I'm sorry!" The only thing he said when I realized that he was actually crying. What just happened suddenly to him? Well, I can't read his expressions on his face now, for the damn lights and unsure of his behavior and I said, "Hey, I forgave you! I was just kidding, please don't cry! You aren't a crybaby for some silly things." I started patting him, fastly.

"Our mom," he said while sniffing, "she got a heart attack!" My voice dropped. Silence creeps in between our space except for his sniffs. I felt my ears burning. No way. Wait- this can't be true! How can something like this happen? She isn't a heart patient! Is she alright? Where's she now? I need to see her.